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Tuesday, 5 April 2016

NISEPA announce levy for refuse disposal in Niger State

The Niger State Environmental Protection Agency (NISEPA) has said that residents would commence payment of levy for refuse disposal. The General Manager of NISEPA, Mr Lucky Barau, who made this known in Minna during a one-day stakeholders meeting, said payment would commence this month. "At the end of every month, you will help the government with a little levy that will soon be unveiled to enable us keep our environment clean. "There was a tariff approved by the government in 2010 but we have not implemented it. "So by the time you see our staff coming to you for such a levy, please comply because government needs your assistance to keep our environment clean,'' he said. Barau said that the agency and stakeholders would meet to agree on the amount to be paid per household and business premises. He explained that the task of waste management was capital intensive, adding that this informed the introduction of the levy.

Barau said that the agency would start levying business premises from April while that of households comes later. He said that household tariff would commence after sensitisation across the 25 local government areas of the state. "Government will give a two-week grace after which we will prosecute defaulters in our mobile courts,'' he said. Also speaking, Alhaji Abubakar Marafa, the Niger Police Commissioner, said that the command would collaborate with state agencies in carrying out their constitutional duties. Marafa, who was represented by DSP Abdullahi Abdullahi, enjoined citizens to always abide by the rules and regulations for maintenance of peace and security. Mr Audu Marcus, a representative of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association Nigeria, appealed to NISEPA for an extension of time for stakeholders to comply with the levy payment.